The first job interview

The First Job InterviewIntroductionOften, it is the degree of preparation thatmakes the difference between a successful andunsuccessful interview candidate. Read carefully– the following information will guide youthrough your first interview and provide thegroundwork for future success.

Prepare for the InterviewWhen an appointment is made for an interview,it is imperative for you to be fully prepared forit. There are three areas to cover in order to beproperly prepared. They are as follows:Know the EmployerThis is an opportunity for you to demonstrateyour research skills. It is important for youto find out as much as you can about theorganization, agency, institution, etc., withwhich you are interviewing. Ask yourself thefollowing questions:

• What does the organization make or what servicedoes it provide?• What is the size of the organization? What is itsorganizational structure? How much potential foradvancement is there within this structure?

What’s Inside

• Who are the organization’s officers,administrators, etc.? Know something of theirbackground and recent achievements.

Prepare for the Interview...............................1

Find out how the position you are applying forrelates to the whole organization. Try to pinpointsome challenges, opportunities, policies, orphilosophies of the organization, and plan tofocus on these during the interview.You can find some of this information in theCareer Center Library, Strozier Library, or at thelocal library. You can also visit glassdoor.com forinterview questions job seekers have been askedat specific organizations. Visit employer websitesto find additional information. The followingresources in the Career Center Library might behelpful to you:• Employer Literature Files• Job Choices Guides• Guide to Employer Directories

Introduction.....................................................1Attend the Interview.......................................3Follow-up After The Interview.....................5Sample Questions............................................6Inspect Your Online Identity.........................7

• Almanac of American Employers• Hoover’s Handbook of American Business

• Directory of Florida Industries• Florida Trend magazine• National JobbankThis research can be very valuable to youduring the interview. It will not only increaseyour self-confidence, but it will also impressthe interviewer. He or she will regard youas a person who has sincere interest inthe organization because you took time tofind out something about it. For additionalinformation, see the Researching PotentialEmployers Guide in the Career Center or online atwww.career.fsu.edu/advising/guides.cfm.Know YourselfYou need to know many facts about theemployer, and the interviewer needs to knowmany facts about you in order to make a fairevaluation. Interviewers are often amazedat answers they receive in response to thequestion: “Who are you and what do you wantto do?” and “Tell me about yourself.” Beforean interview, know what you have to offer thepotential employer and organization.Evaluate yourself in terms of your strengths andhow you could translate these strengths intoskills your prospective employer can use. Also,be able to provide examples of these strengths.It is also helpful to know your weaknesses,as no one is perfect. If you are asked to statea weakness, do not elaborate on it. Instead,state steps you are taking to improve uponyour weakness. For example, if you are shyand public speaking is difficult, think abouttaking a toastmasters course or volunteeringto lead meetings or give presentations. Thisdemonstrates that you are self-aware andproactively working to better yourself.Be ready to talk about your career objectives,your short- and long-term goals, and yourinterests. Study your resume and be familiarwith your education and experience.Practice illustrating how your extracurricularactivities are examples of skills in leadershipand responsibility. The most important point2

to remember when preparing for an interviewis that the prospective employer is primarilyconcerned with hiring someone who will makea valuable contribution to the organization. Beprepared to tell an employer why you would bea valuable asset to them and why they wouldbenefit from hiring you. With many applicantsfor the same job, it will be up to you to convincethe interviewer that of all those interviewed, youare the best choice. To help prepare yourself,study the Sample Questions in this guide anduse the Career Portfolio to identify and describeyour skills.Learn to Communicate EffectivelyIt is imperative for you to know yourself and theorganization with which you are interviewing,but if you are unable to communicate yourknowledge clearly and concisely, your interviewwill not be impressive. You must be able toexpress yourself to the interviewer.The best way to improve your communicationskills is to practice role-playing before theinterview. Consider participating in a mockinterview at the Career Center or ask a friend,your partner, or your roommate to help yousimulate an interview. Use the sample questionsin this guide to prepare. Make sure you arecritiqued on your voice tone, body language, andeye contact.Another suggestion for role-playing mightbe to get together with people who are alsopreparing for interviews. You could learn bycritiquing different approaches and comparingexperiences. This method might also be a goodway to boost morale.A critical point to remember while practicingis to avoid memorizing what you want to say.If you come across like you have a speechprepared, your interview will be less effective.You will be nervous during the interview.Concentrate on what is being asked and respondappropriately. Many people make their voicesmore monotone to sound professional. Don’t!Speak as you normally would in conversation.Another essential component of effectivecommunication is active listening. Be sure to payThe First Job Interview

close attention to the interviewer’s questions.Don’t get distracted or daydream. Remember, itis beneficial to take a moment after each questionis asked to prepare thoughtful, thoroughanswers.

Attend the InterviewBe on TimeIt is better to be a few minutes early than oneminute late for your interview. Interviewershave busy schedules and if you are late, it willcut into the amount of time allotted to you. Mostimportant, if you are late you will make a badinitial impression.Dress AppropriatelyWhen seeking a professional position, youmust look like a professional. A good guidelineto follow is to dress as others do in the sameoccupation. Remember, the first impression is alasting one.Women: Wear a simply tailored suit or dress.Wear conservative nail polish and lipstick. Makesure your hairstyle is neat and professional.Leave flashy earrings in your jewelry box. Bemoderate in use of makeup and avoid perfume.Men: Wear a clean, pressed, conservative suitwith a subtle shirt and tie. Have your shoesshined and wear plain socks that match your suitcolor. Make sure your hair is neat and trimmed.Long hair and extremely long sideburns areconsidered unprofessional. Clean and trim yournails. Avoid gaudy or flashy jewelry. Abide bythe 13 rule, where you can wear no more than 13pieces of “bling” such as earrings or buttons.For more on business dress, see the CareerCenter’s Dress to Impress guide.Anticipate the Interview SituationThe interview situation can vary from a one-toone contact between you and an employee ofthe organization (human resources manager,campus recruiter, department manager, etc.), toa panel composed of several different employeesor department heads representing variouslevels or functions. It is also possible to have asequence of several interviews on a given day.The First Job Interview

Performance interviewing is another techniquesome organizations use. In this case, you will beasked to perform tasks which your possible jobwill entail in a limited amount of time. Mistakesare expected. The employer is looking at theway you handle yourself. In other situations,especially academic settings, you may be askedto lecture or present in your area of expertise.Finally, phone and Skype interviews arebecoming more common and may be used in theinterview process.Another type of interviewing is calledbehavioral interviewing, where the employerseeks to predict future behavior by examiningpast behavior. Employers often use the STARapproach to gauge past behavior. Whenanswering questions about previous jobs orresponsibilities, be able to describe past workSituations, Tasks at hand, Actions you to tookto complete the tasks, and the Results youachieved. For more information on behavioralinterviewing strategies, see articles in the CareerCenter Library Mobile File.Break the IceInterviews are unpredictable and no twointerviews are alike. Much depends uponthe interviewer’s personality and experience.Interviewers usually try to make you ascomfortable as possible as the interview begins.Often they start with basic questions from yourresume. Since this information is familiar to you,the interview will become less tense. Be readywhen the interviewer starts to concentrate onspecific facts.Answer the Interviewer’s QuestionsAfter an introduction, the interviewer willusually get to the point. Typical questions are:• What was your major when you started college?What is it now?• Did you change your goals? Why?• How can a job with this organization help youmeet your career objectives?• What contributions do you see yourself making toour organization?

From this type of questioning, the interviewercan gauge whether you are looking for any job3

you can get or if you know yourself well andare trying to meet your needs through selectiveinterviewing. The interviewer will attempt toassess your motivations, as well as the way youoperate. While a resume provides the facts, theinterview provides the “why’s and “how’s.”During the interview, the most important thingto remember is to be honest. Interviewers willnot be able to evaluate you fairly if you attemptto deceive them. Telling interviewers what youthink they want to hear is not the purpose of theinterview. If you are deceitful and interviewerssense this, the chance of being invited for asecond interview is slim.Be prepared to back up what you say. Accordingto interviewers, too many applicants makestatements that they are unable to prove. Ifyou state that you have certain skills andabilities, cite specific examples where you havedemonstrated them. The FSU Career Portfoliois a good way to document your skills andaccomplishments.Some interviews might include stress questionsso that the interviewer can get to know youbetter. Stress questions usually involve problemsolving and have no right or wrong answers.The purpose of this type of questioning is to seehow you think and react under pressure. Forexample, an interviewer can ask you how manyplanes you think are in the sky. For samplestress questions, visit the Career Center Library.Be Prepared to Talk Salary(But don’t bring it up first.)One question you should be ready to address isexpected salary. On your resume, it is not properto mention salaries. You can even leave it openon your application form or write negotiable.But in an interview, you might be asked tostate a figure. Know standard starting salariesfor those with your general qualifications insimilar positions. For salary information, consultresources in the Career Library, including theNational Association of Colleges and EmployersSalary Survey.

4

There are also several websites that providesalary information. One example is www.salary.com. Glassdoor.com also offers salaryinformation from people in specific jobs andorganizations. Many other sites can be foundby simply searching the web using the term“salary” in conjunction with your desiredposition title. These sources can give yousome idea of what your salary range will be.By knowing the rate beforehand, you can berealistic in your terms. Candidates whose ratesare too high might price themselves right out ofthe job. If you are too low, the interviewer mightnot consider you an ambitious person, andthere is a chance you will not be given furtherconsideration. Another possibility is that theymight hire you at a lower rate and there will beno chance for renegotiating your salary.One way to handle salary questions is to givea range. Be prepared to back up your salaryrequest with specific information about youreducation and experience. Generally it isrecommended that candidates allow employersto address salary first. For more information, seethe Career Center guide Negotiating Job Offers.Ask the Interviewer QuestionsDuring your pre-interview research, youshould prepare some intelligent questions toask your interviewer at the end of the interview.Examples include:yy What training do you provide?yy What is the normal progression of a traineeover the first few years?yy How much travel is required?yy Do you encourage continuing education andreimburse tuition?yy What options do I have in selecting/acceptingassignments?yy What continuing staff training programs areavailable?

Never ask about vacation time or retirement.These are not work-related activities. You musttalk opportunity, not security, although you canask for more information regarding all fringe

The First Job Interview

benefits. It can be helpful to prepare questionsconcerning the organization’s markets, methods,and projected plans. Ask for general information,not how these issues will affect you. Interviewerswill be impressed by your interest in theorganization.During the interview you should be sensitiveto signs that it has run its course. Campusinterviews are usually scheduled for twentyor thirty minutes. Interviews end in differentways. Some interviewers might look at theirwatch, which is a cue for you that the interviewis nearing an end; some interviewers are bluntby standing up, holding out their hand andthanking you for coming in. Most employerrepresentatives however, expect you to sensethe proper time to leave on the basis of subtleindications that your time is up.When the interview is over, thank theinterviewer for taking time to talk with you.Re-emphasize your interest in the position andyour appreciation for being considered. This isimportant, since many candidates mistakenlyassume that interviewers sense their interest.If the interviewer does not offer you a job (thisis very rarely done in the initial interview)or indicate when you will receive word, askwhen you might hear about a second interviewor an actual offer. This is important becauseevery timeline is different, and you will likelybe relieved to have a timeframe where youcan expect to hear back from them. If there isno response at the indicated day/week, callto demonstrate your continued interest. If theinterviewer is impressed with your performance,you will probably be invited to visit theorganization, meet other personnel and gothrough more extensive screening. It is usuallyafter the second interview that a job offer isgiven. For help on these second interviews seethe Career Center’s guide on Preparing for theSecond Interview. So in effect, the main purpose ofan initial interview is to qualify you for a followup.

The First Job Interview

Follow-up After The InterviewWrite a Letter of ThanksAsk for the interviewer’s business card andwrite a letter of appreciation, either as an e-mailor handwritten note. Previous communicationwith the organization may give you an idea ofthe best format to use. Make your letter morethan a plain thank you note. Tell the intervieweryou are still interested in the position andreview some of your qualifications discussedin the interview so that his/her memory will berefreshed. You also can include some pertinentquestions that you did not ask in the interview.If the interviewer answers you quickly, thismight be an indication that the organization isinterested. For further help, refer to the WritingEffective Letters guide.Make each interview a learning experienceAs soon as possible after the interview, writedown what you have learned. Ask yourself:• Which of my points interested theemployer?• Did I present my qualifications well?• Did I talk too much? Too little?• Was I too tense? Was I too aggressive?Too passive?• How can I improve my next interview?By reviewing your performance, you can makeplans to improve your skills. The more youinterview, the sharper your skills become andthe sooner you will receive an offer.

5

Sample Questions• What are your short- and long-term goals andobjectives? When and why did you establish thesegoals? How are you preparing to reach them?• What specific goals, other than those related to youroccupation, have you established for yourself for thenext 10 years?• What do you see yourself doing five years from now?• What do you really want to do in life?• How do you plan to achieve your career goals?• What are the most important rewards you expect inyour career?• What do you expect to be earning in five years?• Why did you choose the occupation for which you arepreparing?• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?• How would you describe yourself?• How do you think a friend or professor who knowsyou well would describe you?

• If you could do so, how would you plan youracademic study differently? Why?• What changes would you make in your college oruniversity? Why?• Do you have plans for continued study? An advanceddegree?• Do you think your grades are a good indication ofyour academic achievement?• What have you learned from participation inextracurricular activities?• What have you learned from previous jobs?• In what kind of work environment are you mostcomfortable?• How do you work under pressure?• In what part-time or summer jobs have you been mostinterested? Why?• How would you describe the ideal job for youfollowing graduation?

• What motivates you to make your greatest effort?

• Why did you decide to seek a position with thisorganization?

• How has your college experience prepared you foryour chosen occupation?

• What do you know about our organization?

• Why should I hire you?• What qualifications do you have that make you thinkthat you will be successful in this field?• How do you determine or evaluate success?• What do you think it takes to be successful in anorganization like ours?• In what ways do you think you can make acontribution to our organization?• What qualities should a successful manager possess?• Describe the relationship that should exist between asupervisor and those reporting to him or her.• What two or three accomplishments have given youthe most satisfaction?• Describe your most rewarding college experience.• If you were hiring a graduate for this position, whatqualities would you look for?• Why did you select your college or university?• What led you to choose your major or field of study?• What college subjects did you like best? Like least?Why?

6

• What two or three things are most important to you inyour job?• Are you seeking employment in an organization of acertain size? Why?• What criteria are you using to evaluate theorganization for which you hope to work?• Do you have geographical preference? Why?• Will you relocate? Does relocation bother you?• Are you willing to travel?• Are you willing to spend six months as a trainee?• Why do you think you might like to live in thecommunity in which our organization is located?• What have you done that shows initiative?• What major problems have you encountered and howdid you deal with it?• What have you learned from your mistakes?• Describe an example where you worked as part of ateam.Questions adapted from The Endicott Report: Trends inEmployment of College and University Graduates in Businessand Industry, by Frank S. EndicottThe First Job Interview

Inspect Your Online IdentityHave you researched and cleaned up youronline reputation?If not, google yourself and check your socialnetworking profile(s) to determine if theinformation out in cyberspace is incriminating,outdated, embarrassing, wrong, or not evenabout you. Even if you don’t look yourselfup, employers might, and it may cost youthe interview, the job, and your professionalreputation. Take these five steps to ensure youronline identity is clean.Step 1: Investigate

Use search engines to explore your onlineidentity and check at least the first five results.Search:yy With your name in quotation marksyy Your name and your school name, fraternity/sorority, organizations, middle name/initial,hometown, dorm, major, etc.

Examples of search engines to use include:yy www.spoheo.com (Gather photos and infoabout you)yy www.pipl.com (Gather photos and info aboutyou)yy www.google.comyy www.yahoo.comyy www.bing.comyy www.ask.comStep 2: Secure Facebook and MySpace AccountsIf you can’t stand to do away with questionablematerial (politically incorrect, rude, explicit, sexist,etc.) on Facebook, then change the privacy settingto restrict availability to only confirmed friends youtrust. By doing so, recruiters and employers will nothave access to your account. A good way to clean upyour MySpace page is to remove negative picturesand blog entries.

nicely and be specific asto the page(s) or section(s)you are requesting tobe removed. If the caseis extreme, you maywant to consult withan attorney. If youare unable to have theinformation removed,be prepared to speak toan employer about youractions by turning thenegative situation into apositive one.Step 4: Become YourOwn Online AgentBuild your professionalidentity by creating andposting positive and accurateinformation about yourself onsites such as www.linkedin.com, which focus oncareer profiles.You may want to add videos of you winningan award, giving a speech, or playing a sport toyoutube.com or video.google.com.Step 5: Buy Your Own Domain NameYou can determine if your name is available byvisiting this list of reputable domain name registrars.yy www.godaddy.comyy www.register.comyy www.networksolutions.comSource: Adapted with permission from Not Just YourSpace: The College Student’s Guide to Managing OnlineReputation, by Tom Drugan located at www.naymz.com/blog/?p=32.

Step 3: Ask for HelpYour editorial might have been published on yourschool newspaper’s website, you might have addeda comment to a blog, or someone might have postedinformation about you. If any of this informationis damaging, you might want to ask the websiteowner or editor to remove the information. AskThe First Job Interview